Expelled Priest Speaks On Equality

BUFFALO, N.Y. - An expelled Catholic priest was in Buffalo Thursday night to talk about the issue that got him removed from service.

Roy Bourgeois served as a Catholic priest for over 40 years.
He was told last fall that he was dismissed because of his outspoken public support for women's ordination and his participation in a woman's ordination ceremony in 2008.

Bourgeois considers it an issue of gender equality and says he is following his own conscience in the support of women who want to serve in the priesthood.

Thursday night, audience members watched a documentary titled "Pink Smoke Over the Vatican."

A statement put out by the Maryknoll order to which Bourgeois belonged said they had worked for four years with patience to reconcile Bourgeois with the church, but he continued to campaign against church teachings. They said that is what lead to his dismissal.